Apparatus for furnishing drinking-water on ocean-ships.



l. H. JEWELL.

APPARATUS FOR FURNISHING DRINKING wmn ON OCEAN SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-1.1919.

Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I liavenior VaIllIIIlII/ill.llrllllllv l. H. JEWELL.

APPARATUS FOR FURNISHING DRINKING WATER ON OCEAN SHIPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.1,1919.

"UNITED srn'rns PATENT onnic IRAH. JEWELL, or cnrcnoo, rumors.

APPARATUS FOR FURNISHING DRINKING-WATER ON OCEAN-SHIPS.

Application filed'llarch 1, 1919. Serial No. 280,053.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA H; JEWELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Furnishing Drinking-VVat-er on Ocean-Ships, of which the following is a specification.

' This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for furnishing drinking water on ocean-going ships, and refers more particularlyto an apparatus in the nature of a still which is so constructed and arranged as'to receive material from two sources to be used;- either separately or in'combinatlon to produce the drinking water. For instance, one source of the material may beva'por from the ordinary salt water evaporator at present used on ships for emergency purposes to furnish boiler make-up water and also for drinking purposes, and the other source may be fresh water from the drinking or reserve tanks carried by the ship, which tanks are filled in port to supply the ships fresh water poses which are filled in various ports and re uirements used between ports.

eretofore it has been the practice to have separate freshwater tanks for drinking purintended to be sufiicient for the voyage and also to have reserve tanks likewisefilled for use of the boiler supply and other purposes of the ship where fresh water is needed, the

' can be produced from salt water in case idea of having separate tanks being that they may be flushed out to keep the-drinking water tanks in a clean and wholesome condi-.

tion.. This practice also involves, for emergency purposes, for both the boiler make-up water and drinking water as well, that a salt water evaporator be installed on the ship and condensers provided so that both drinking water and boiler make-up supply emergency, such as when the fresh water tanks are exhausted.

To accomplish this condensing arrangement there have usually been built-in-the ships separate condensers for the boiler Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented-Apr l, 1919.

degree. This condenser on shipboard'for drinking purposes has been termed in marine practice di stillei and is'usually hung up in a high point on the ship sothat the outlet can deliver the water by gravity into the drinking water tanks.

It is general practice for the ship to have a pump which takes the water from the 651 small gravity head tanklocated on the top drinking water tanks and delivers it to. a

house deck and then to run a distribution line from the gravity head tank to thedrinking taps. Owingto the stale conditionof the I ships res'erve'tanks, fresh water supply, as

'well as the drinking tanks supply, together with the impurities which settle in them, which occur from the several days of voyage at sea, it is practically impossible that even a filtered water of such normal purity as would be satisfactory for a municipality can retain -this purity for a long voyage, thereby developing bacterial growths and odors which renders same unfit for drinking purposes, and even likely to produce disease.

When vapor from the salt water evapo-' v rator must be condensed for drinking water, it 1s generally found even more objectionable than any condition of the fresh water supplyabove stated. Sea water contains so many minerals and gases insolution that its condensed vapor carries them largely with it so that a palatable and satisfactory quality of drinking water is not produced unless.

a condition, often' provided, such, as aeration, frequently with special air umps, and

that it also be filtered, and even t on it often requires a standing period of 24 hours. It

may occur that the salt water'evaporator foams over, as it frequently does .do, andthat". salt is carried along with the vapor even when foaming does not occur. which f makes brakish water that is conducted to,

the drinking tank supply.

One purpose of the present invention is in a system for obtaining drinking water from several different sources heretofore not "10o to provide anapparatus which may be used I utilized so that the system can be made more flexible in this regard and the emergency use of the salt water vapor greatly reduced.

Another purpos'e'of the invention is to provide a single unitary apparatus which can do the joint work of receiving vapor from the salt water evaporator in emergency and reliquefy, aerate and filter it, and, with the same apparatus, to take any of the ships fresh water supply and evaporate, liquefy and filter it; and the same apparatus can operate upon both salt water vapor and fresh water to produce a product which will be a combination of the salt and fresh water, a better product than if the salt water vapor should be used alone, the desirability being that when the ship is running low with its fresh water supply it may be supplemented by the use of the salt water vapor in the manner stated.

I have shown in the drawing one embodiment of my apparatus for illustrating the invention, but it will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the details herein shown, except as to claims where said details are specifically set forth or imposed by the prior art. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially in section to. show interior parts.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation as viewed from I a plane at a right angl-e'to the plane of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 1 are transverse sections on the respective lines A-A and B-B of F igs.

2 and 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail of one of the condenser tubes shown in, the manner of fitting them to the top and bottom manifold plates of the distiller chamber.

Fig. 6 is a detail of a wrench employed for removing the condenser tubes.

Fig. 7 is a cross section on the lines CC of Fig. 6.

As shown in the drawings 10 designates the distiller chamber. 11 the evaporator chamber covered by a hood 12 which is centrally apertured and: closed by a cover 13. The condenser tubes 14 are contained within said distiller chamber and extend through the top and bottom manifold heads 15 and 16 of the distiller chamber. Said condenser tubes extend beyond the upper manifold head through the condenser chamber dome and into the cover 13 and are open at their upper end. The portion of the condenser tubes above the manifold head 15 extend through an upright casing 18 of the approximate diameter of the distiller chamher, which casing forms a chamber 19 to receive the salt water vapor and to prevent intermixing of the salt water vapor with the contents of the fresh water evaporator chamber. The cover 13 is provided within the dome with a depending perforated guard 20 which surrounds the upper ends of the condenser tubes and which terminates short of the upper end of the casing 18 to provide a space 21 for the passage of steam from the fresh water evaporator chamber to the upper ends of the condenser tubes.

Said condenser tubes terminate at their lower ends in reduced drip ends 22 which extend through packing glands in the lower manifold head into a filter chamber 2-3 that contains a body of granular filter material, such as charcoal, supported on a perforated plate, below which is formed a reservoir 2-1, having outlets 25' and 26, the lower one for direct service and the other for overflow and vent. Condensing water is directed to the filter chamber through an inlet 27 and is discharged therefrom through an outlet 28. 30 designates the valved salt water vapor supply pipe through which vapor is supplied to the vapor receiving chamber 19. 31 designates the valved fresh water inlet pipe through which fresh water is conducted to the lower part of the evaporator chamber 11, and 32 designates an overflow pipe, connected to the upper end of an open riser 33 which is connected at its lower end to the inlet pipe 31; the connection between the riser and the overflow pipe being at a level to submerge the fresh water evaporating coil 3 1 in the evaporating chamber 11 and also to maintain a proper water seal against pressure of the salt water vapor. 35 designates the steam inlet for the coil 34 and 36 the trapped outlet thereof. 37 designates a valved drain. for the vapor receiving chamber 19 to draw any water that may accumulate in the bottom thereof, to

gether with the salt entrained with the vapor released in said chamber by reason of the reduction of vapor velocity when it enters said chamber from the inlet 30.

In operation, assuming the apparatus to be used to condense salt water vapor. the vapor is conducted to the lower end of the chamber 19 through the pipe 30 and rises to and enters the upper ends of the con denser tubes in the cover 13. Condensing water, preferably sea water under pressure, is passed through the distiller chamber in contact with the outer walls of the condenser tubes and is discharged overboard. The water condenses the vapor, the resulting water passing downwardly through the tubes and into and through the filter chamber and passes through the filtering medium into the reservoir 21 from whence it is withdrawn for use. The joint between the con denser tubes and the upper manifold head is made to prevent passage of the sea water from the distiller chamber to the evaporator chamber and thereby contaminate the water in the latter chamber. As shown said joint is formed by "sweating a bushing 39-on the tube and taper threading it to engage taper threads in the manifold head.

"When distilling fresh water, and assuming for the purpose of this statement that fresh water alone is to be distilled, the valve in the salt water vapor pipe 30 is closed and the valve in the fresh water inlet pipe 31 is opened. Vvater is supplied to the evaporator chamber and submerges the evaporating coil 31 thereof, the level of the water being determined by the level at which the overflow pipe 32 is connected to the open riser 33. Steam from the ships boiler or other suitable source is passed through the coil 34 and evaporates the water, the vapor rising through the opening 21 between the guard and casing 18, and also through the perforaitions of the guard, into the cover to the upper ends of the condenser tubes. The vapor passes downwardly through the tubes and is condensed, the resulting water pass ing through the filter and into the reservoir 24 below. I

When it is desired to mix the vapor from both salt and fresh water supplies, and thereby produce drinking water from both sources, the valves ofboth the salt water vapor pipe and the fresh water pipe and of the steam inlet to evaporating coil are opened. The salt water vapor is then comingled with the fresh water vapor in the the level of the water in the evaporator condensing tubes. The relative opening of thevalved salt water vapor and steam inlets will determine the proportion' of the mixture of the two constituents, so that it thereby becomes practicable to blend the two vapors] to produce a good drinking water while, at the same-time using a lesser portion'of the fresh water, thereby economiz 1 dense the Vapor.

i 2. Apparatus ing the fresh water in, the event water tanks are'runninglow. The overflow pipe 32 maintains, not only the fresh chamber, but also furnishes means by which water condensed in the evaporator chamber may be conducted back into the freshwater tanks, thus producing thereby an additional supply of fresh water when operating on salt water vapor.

A pipe 38, open to atmosphere, isconnected to the filter chamber 23, when em-. ployed, or the reservoir 2a when the filter chamber is not employed, for the purpose of permitting the apparatusto' operate under atmospheric conditions, su'ch as to take in atmosphere to the condensing tubes and assist aeration of the water therein in event that vacuum should be created in the tubes when the steam is condensed, so the atmos-.

pheric oxygen can unite with the condensed water at the instant action of its liquefac-' tion; it beingunderstood that not enough steam or vapor will enter the tubes to fill the voidor vacuum created when vapor is condensed because the steam enters the tubes under only a few ounces of pressure. The

water level seal shownin Fig.1 provides for only a few ounces of pressure. 'On the other hand, this pipe 38, open to atmosbeing that oxygen which is carried over by I the steam or vapor will combine with the distilled water and that other gases will be discharged through the pipe 38. Just which removed when the cover 13 is removed, by a v wrench comprising a hollow shank 40 provided at its lower end with jaws 42 to enter.

sockets 43 in the bushing 39, the shank having a guide collar: 41 which surroundsv said jaws. The hollow wrench is long enough to be slipped down overatube 14 to engage its jaws with the sockets 43 and may be turned by a cross-rod that extends'into openings intheup'perend ofthe shank.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for distilling fresh water I and con ensing salt water vapor comprising a complete operative evaporator and condenser .for distilling thefresh water, including heating means for'the evaporator and provided with a vapor connection i-ndependent of said heating means adapted to deliver saltwater vapor 'to the apparatus to confor distilling fresh water ;and condensing.salt water vapor comprising anevaporator for the fresh water,'provided with heating means, and provided with a vapor connection independent of said heat- .ing means to deliver salt water vapor thereto,

:and a. condenser to receive vapor from both said evaporator and said connections.

. 3. Apparatus for distilling water and.

condensing vapor comprising an'evaporator having a fresh water supply and a vapor receiving chamber having an independent salt water vapor supply, combined with a condenser having tubes which extend through said receiving chamber to receive vapor from both said evaporator and said chamber.

4. Apparatus for furnishing distilled drinking water on ocean-going ships comprising means for evaporating, condensing, aerating and filtering the ships fresh water supply, including heating means for the evaporator, combined with means whereby vapor supplied independent of said heating means can be treated by the same condensing, aerating, and filtering means.

5. Apparatus for furnishing drinking water on ocean-going ships from the ships fresh water suply and vapor from the ships salt water evaporator, comprising a condenser, a fresh water evaporator, including heating means therefor, and having means to direct its vapor to said condenser, a supply pipe adapted to deliver water from the ships fresh water supply to the evaporator,

connections independent of said heating means adapted to supply salt water vapor condenser, and a filter connected to discharge ofsaid condensenj; 6. Apparatus for -distillin g and condensing salt water vapor comprising a complete operative evaporator and cons the denser for distilling the freshwater, includ ing heating means for the evaporator, and

provided with a vapor connection independent ofsaidheating'means adapted to deliver salt water vapor to the apparatus to condense the vapor, and means for aerating the water in the condenser.

Apparatus for furnishing drinking water on ocean-going ships from the ships fresh water supply and vapor from the ships salt Water evaporator, comprising a condenser, a fresh water evaporator, including heating means therefor, having supply connections to deliver water from the ships fresh Water supply to the evaporator and constructed with means todirect its vapor to the condenser, means, independent of said heating means for supplying salt water vapor from the ships salt water evaporator to said condenser, and air connections with v the device whereby the condensate is aerated by air drawn into the condenser by the vacuum created at the instant action of condensing said vapors. i

8. Apparatus for distilling water and condensing vapor comprising-an evaporator and a separate vapor receiving chamber centrally therein, combined with a condenser having tubes which extend through and-beyond said chamber to receive vapor from both said evaporator and said chamber.

9. Apparatus for distilling water and condensing vapor comprising an evaporator having a dry dome anda separate vapor re ceiving chamber centrally therein, combined with a condenser having tubes-which extend through the said chamber and to the dry dome to receive vapor from both said evaporator and said chamber. 1

10. Apparatus 'for distilling water; and condensingvapor comprising an evaporator having a dry dome and a separate vapor fresh water receiving chamber centrally therein, combinedwith a condenser having tubes which from the ships salt water evaporator to said J extend through the said chamberand to the 'dry dome to receive vapor from both said evaporator and said chamber, said dome ,being provided around the receiving ends oii'said tubes withja splash guard.

11. 1 Apparatus for distilling water and condensing vapor comprising an evaporator, a heating coil and a water supply pipe there- 'for, a vapor receiving chamber open to said evaporator, a source of vapor supply for said chamber, independent of ,said heating coil, said supply pipe being provided with overflow pipe connections adapted to maina tain a uniform water level in the evaporator and a water seal against escape of the vapor, and a condenser 1n communicatlon with sald evaporator and chamber."

12. Apparatus for distilling Water and condensing vapor comprising an evaporator, including heating means, a vapor receivmg chamber open to said evaporator, a source of vapor supply 1 for said chamber independent of said heating means, said evap orator provided with overflow pipe connections to maintain a" water seal against the escape of the vapor, and a condenser in communicationwith said evaporator and chamher, the outlet of said condenser discharging into a chamber therebelow open to atmospheric pressure.

13. Apparatus for distilling 'Water and condensing vapor, comprising an evaporator, including heating means therefor, vapor supply means independent of said heating means, said evaporator being provided with means to maintain a water seal against escape of vapor, a condenser to recelve vapor from said evaporator and said supply means and adapted to receive condensing water from a source separate from the evaporator supply, and means incommunication with the outlet of said condenser to maintain the operation of the apparatus under atmospheric conditions.

- IRA H. JEWELL.

at Washington, 0., Feb. 27th, 

